Bill Bolling: GOP pick E.W. Jackson's remarks ‘indefensible’

Virginia Lt. Gov Bill Bolling, a Republican, said Monday that the surprise GOP pick to succeed him had made “simply indefensible” comments in the past that would only serve to reinforce negative perceptions about the party.

Almost immediately after E.W. Jackson, an African-American pastor, won a stunning, fourth-ballot victory at Saturday’s Virginia GOP convention, a number of inflammatory statements he’s made about gays, race and abortion surfaced, casting a cloud over gubernatorial nominee Ken Cuccinelli and the newly minted Republican ticket.

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“These kinds of comments are simply not appropriate, especially not from someone who wants to be a standard bearer for our party and hold the second highest elected office in our state,” Bolling said in a statement to POLITICO. “They feed the image of extremism, and that’s not where the Republican Party needs to be.”

Cuccinelli, meanwhile, declined Monday to stand up for his ticketmate’s past comments.

“We are not going to be defending our running mates’ statements, now or in the future. The people of Virginia need to get comfortable with each candidate individually, and that’s what this process is all about,” Cuccinelli said after an event with the GOP ticket in Southwest Virginia, according to the Associated Press.

Bolling, who is in the final year of his second term as lieutenant governor and did not seek re-election Saturday, said Jackson’s victory was such a shock that Republicans were unaware of his paper trail of incendiary remarks.

“I think most people were surprised that Bishop Jackson won the Lieutenant Governor’s nomination,” Bolling said. “As a result, I don’t think a lot of people were aware of some of the things he has said. Now these things are starting to come to light, and they are very troubling. Bishop Jackson is certainly entitled to his views, but you should be able to express your views without insulting people, and some of the things he has said are simply indefensible.”

A Bolling spokeswoman did not say whether the lieutenant governor believes Jackson should remain on the ticket.

Bolling had planned to run for governor this year, but was outmaneuvered by Cuccinelli, whose allies changed the nominating process from a primary to what became a conservative-dominated convention of 8,000 Virginians. Since declaring late last year that he wouldn’t seek the governorship, Bolling has been critical of the GOP and his putative rival, Cuccinelli.